Delicate, Buttery Flounder With Green Garlic

By DAVID TANIS (New York Times)

 

The recipe: dust the fish in flour and submerge it in a mixture of beaten egg and milk. When the fillets are pan-fried, they emerge moist, delicate and golden. Though the fish then really needs only butter and lemon, my slight variation was to add a handful of finely minced mild green spring garlic to the sauce.

Complete artlice below.

 

UNTIL the culinary revolution began in the 1970s, there were two types of fine-dining restaurant in San Francisco. One served a kind of cuisine called Continental. Vaguely European and intentionally fancy, the food arrived from the kitchen beneath polished silver domes, accompanied by rich sauces in silver sauce boats, and occasionally by tableside theatrics performed by waiters in red dinner jackets.

The other, a bit more boisterous and bustling, was the traditional bistrolike San Francisco fish house, and there were lots of them, some predating the 1906 earthquake. The menus in these places didn’t vary much, and all boasted fresh local seafood. There were, of course, the obligatory shrimp cocktail and shrimp Louie, oysters on the half-shell and little pots of steamed clams. Perpetually available was a so-called captain’s platter, which contained an assortment of deep-fried fish and shellfish.

In season, diners ordered Dungeness crab and Pacific salmon and halibut steaks. But any fish palace worth its sea salt also offered the three types of sole native to the region.

Rex sole and sand dabs were served bone-in, but the prized, meaty, delicate petrale sole was always a boneless fillet. The best version of it was called Dore (pronounced doh-RAY), dipped in an eggy batter and tossed on a well-oiled hot griddle, then floated in a buttery sauce.

For the most part, those establishments have disappeared, but a few stalwarts remain, and are popular with locals and tourists. When I lived on the West Coast, an occasional meal in one of them provided a glimpse of a previous era, with décor to match: mahogany fixtures, brass rails, dark velvet curtains and etched mirrors, along with no-nonsense plates and cutlery. There was never a young waiter on the staff. Eating there was like stepping into a fabled past.

I confess a certain weakness still for that savory egg-cloaked sole. Here in New York the other day, my favorite fishmonger had small flounder fillets, so I determined to prepare them in that nearly prehistoric manner. The technique is simple: dust the fish in flour and submerge it in a mixture of beaten egg and milk. When the fillets are pan-fried, they emerge moist, delicate and golden. Though the fish then really needs only butter and lemon, my slight variation was to add a handful of finely minced mild green spring garlic to the sauce. It is so abundant at the farmers’ market right now, I seem to be putting a little in just about everything.

(from David Tanis, New York Times)

 

 

Simon has been busy weeding

See those nice clean rows between Simon’s garlic? When you don’t use herbicides you’ve got to spend lots of time pulling weeds. This reminds me… I’ve got to get to Acton and weed my garlic.

How does your garlic grow?

My recent visit with a local seniors’ home – to talk about garlic

It was supposed to be an hour long talk, but we ended up chatting about garlic – growing, storage, recipes – for two hours.

Simon’s garlic is doing nicely

Roasted Garlic Spread with Sweet or Savoury Toppings

Courtesy of Toronto Garlic Festival

Makes six appetizers.

20 garlic cloves, skin left on
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
For puree:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp thyme                                                                                                                                              kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Place garlic cloves on baking sheet or casserole dish with oil and salt and pepper.

Cover with alumimum foil or lid and bake in oven pre-heated to 325° for 30 minutes to one hour (depends on the size of the garlic clove). To check for doneness a fork should easily pierce the garlic.

 Remove from oven and allow to cool for ten minutes. To remove the flesh from the  cloves hold each clove and press gently, squeezing the flesh through the sprouting end of the clove. Some parts of the clove may be a deep golden brown. This is due to caramelization of the sugars in the clove during cooking. Take care to include this part.

Place roasted garlic, olive oil and thyme in a food processor and mix for 30 seconds or until desired consistency is achieved. A potato masher can be used instead of a processor.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

 Serve on crackers or toasted baguette slices. Can be accompanied with an assortment of  savoury toppings such as, goat mozzarella or gruyère cheese, thin sliced roasted bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, olives or, capers. Suggested sweet toppings include pure peach marmalade, mango chutney or brandied plum jam.

 Chef’s Note: The roast garlic spread can also be used as a base in soup, (see Flu Fighter Garlic Soup), in sandwiches (see Roast Garlic Grilled Cheese Sandwich) or, as a condiment in a baked potato.

The Garlic is Sprouting

Southwestern Red Beans & Brown Rice – from ChefMichaelSmith.com

Southwestern Red Beans & Brown Rice

Courtesy of chefmichaelsmith.com

This vegetarian version of a classic southern dish omits the traditional ham hock and replaces it with lots of bright Southwestern flavour.

Serving: Serves 4 – 6

 Ingredients

for the beans:
1 pound dried red beans, soaked overnight in lots of water
a splash any vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, finely minced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cups water
a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper
4 fresh or canned tomatoes
4 green onions, sliced
a handful or two chopped cilantro
for the rice:
2 tablespoons Butter
1 onion, minced
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Strain the beans out of their soaking water and give them a good rinse. No nutrients are lost in this process; instead, the beans rehydrate, which will speed up their cooking time.Make the beans first because they take longer than the rice. Splash the oil into a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and set over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano and sauté for a few minutes until everything is heated through and your kitchen smells wonderful. Add the red beans, water and salt and pepper and bring everything to a simmer. Reduce the heat and continue simmering, covered, until the beans are tender, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the rice. Melt the butter in another small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes until they just begin to turn golden brown. Add the rice and continue cooking for a few minutes longer, stirring constantly. This is known as the pilaf method, and it helps ensure that each finished rice grain will be tender and distinct.

Add the water and bring it to a simmer. Season the works, cover and cook over low heat until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes or so before serving.
Finish the beans by stirring in the tomatoes, green onions and cilantro. Serve over the rice.

 

 

Garlic Flu Fighter Soup

Serves 2

Since the medicinal properties of garlic are best preserved if the garlic is not cooked, this recipe calls for additional garlic to be added as a final step.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium or large onion, chopped
½ cup carrot, finely chopped
3 cups water or soup stock (either chicken stock or vegetable stock)
2 tablespoons roast garlic puree
4 minced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh shiitake mushroom
1 teaspoon thyme
½ cup lentils
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Add oil to medium-sized saucepan set to medium heat. Add onion, stirring from time to time. Cook to a deep golden brown color. Add carrots, soup stock (or water), garlic puree, two of the garlic cloves, parsley, mushroom, thyme, lentils, salt, and pepper. Simmer for one hour. One minute before serving, add the two remaining garlic cloves.

Serve in mugs or bowls.

Garlic and Peach Spinach Salad

To Make the Salad:
1 bunch spinach leaves, washed, and cut into bite size pieces
1 Ontario peach, pit removed, and cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup Slivered almonds
1 tbsp – Shelled Hemp seed

Place spinach in a medium salad bowl. Artfully arrange peach pieces, almonds and hemp seeds on top.

To make the Dressing:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp Apple Cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 -2 cloves Ontario garlic, chopped into small pieces
Pinch fresh ground black pepper

In a medium size mixing bowl add balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar and honey. Add olive oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Whisk in garlic and pepper.

Pour dressing over salad. Toss and serve.
Serves 4